Jalapeño Hummus

Owning a pressure cooker has improved my life in so many ways, not the least of which is that keeping a bottomless container of jalapeño hummus in my fridge is easy peasy. Just set me up with a pile of carrot sticks and we’re in business.

But first, a note about handling hot peppers. I recommend touching them with utensils only, or if you must, with your hands safely nested inside plastic bags. Seriously, the first time I chopped up a massive amount of intensely hot jalapeños, I burned my hands so badly that I literally couldn’t feel my right hand for more than two days. I tried everything to get the capsaicin out of my skin to pretty much no avail, and was pretty sure I had nerve damage. Consider yourself warned!

Despite this, I adore jalapeño peppers because their heat doesn’t overpower their flavor. This recipe makes for pretty spicy hummus, though of course your results will vary depending on the size and potency of the jalapeños you use. If you know you want less heat from the get-go, you can seed your jalapeños. Also, the hummus will taste less hot if you refrigerate it before serving — so if you want it both cold and ultra spicy, you may even want to add more pepper. The liquid pickled jalapeños are packed in is acidic, so if you have low tolerance for vinegar, you may want to use fresh or roasted jalapeños instead. Have fun!